NorthlandHunter.com

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 11, 2008

Ted Kline and Ron Smith did what deer hunters are supposed to do — wait a few minutes before tracking a doe that Smith shot Monday morning near Culver.“]

But in the 30 minutes from the time Smith, of Lakeville, Minn., took his shot to when they found the downed deer, two hungry cougars had moved in on the kill.

November 11th, 2008 | Category: deer, rifle hunting |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 6, 2008

BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakotans who ate wild game killed with lead bullets appeared to have higher lead levels than those who ate little or no wild game, according to a study released Wednesday by the North Dakota Department of Health.

The study examined the lead levels in the blood of more than 700 state residents. The elevated lead levels were not considered dangerous, but North Dakota officials say pregnant women and children younger than 6 should avoid eating venison killed using lead bullets. Those groups are considered most at risk from lead poisoning, which can cause learning problems and convulsions, and in severe cases can lead to brain damage and death.

November 6th, 2008 | Category: animal processing, deer, dnr, hunting in general, rifle hunting, waterfowl |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 2, 2008

Hunters in Minnesota’s upcoming firearms deer season will have the opportunity to use smaller-caliber rifles than in past years, although the number of hunters expected to do so is expected to be small.

Among several changes in the state’s deer-hunting framework, new regulations allow the use of firearms at least .22 caliber with center-fire ignition. Formerly, the law required hunters to use at least .23-caliber weapons, but several other cartridges were allowed as exceptions.

Popular loads now permitted in.22-caliber center-fire include the .22-250, the .220 Swift and the .223.

Scott VanValkenburg at Fisherman’s Corner in Pike Lake says a minority of hunters will use the smaller-caliber weapons.

November 2nd, 2008 | Category: ammo, deer, rifle hunting |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 2, 2008

Alex Spencer may get the chance to shoot at a whitetail buck sometime during Minnesota’s firearms deer season, which opens Saturday. Alex is 10 years old.

Under a change made by the Minnesota Legislature this past spring, hunters ages 10 and 11 are permitted to hunt big game this fall before taking firearms safety classes, although they must be under direct supervision and within immediate reach of a parent or guardian.

Alex, who lives in Rice Lake Township, already has hunted deer once. During this fall’s early antlerless firearms season Oct. 11 and 12 in areas north of Duluth, he sat beside his dad, Darrell Spencer, in a double tree-stand or in a ground blind. Alex had a chance to shoot at a doe but passed it up because he didn’t have a clear enough shot, Darrell said.

November 2nd, 2008 | Category: deer, firearm safety, hunting in general, rifle hunting, youth hunting |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

From the Duluth News Tribune
published Nov. 2, 2008

About half of Minnesota moose hunters successful

Minnesota’s moose hunters took 111 bull moose in this fall’s Northeastern Minnesota moose season, which ran Oct. 4 to 19.

Tags were issued to 237 parties hunting in 30 zones. Hunting success was 47 percent. Last year, moose hunters took 115 moose for a 50 percent success rate. For the second year, the hunt was for bulls only.

Several thousand parties apply for Minnesota moose licenses each year. Since 1991, the hunt has been a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. This year, 2,706 parties applied for moose hunting permits. Minnesota’s moose population is estimated at 7,600.

Corn coming out slowly

November 2nd, 2008 | Category: bow hunting, deer, early season, firearm safety, hunting in general, moose, rifle hunting |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

While most of the deer that I have harvested have fallen very close to where they were shot, there have been a few that have made a mad dash out of sight . In fact, when bow hunting this is often the case. When this happens you will need to track the deer.

When a deer is shot through both lungs or the heart they usually will drop where they stand or they may go 30-50 yards before the adrenalin that carries them runs out. However, a deer that is shot too far forward and at an angle may only have a single lung shot, a high shot may penetrate both lungs but takes more time for the deer to succumb to their injury. And a shot that is slightly far back may end up being a liver shot or the dreaded gut shot.

October 16th, 2008 | Category: deer |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

From the NorthlandNewsCenter.com
published Oct. 14, 2008

Minnesota conservation officers are literally coming under fire this hunting season.

A recent DNR report says three game wardens have been nearly hit by accidental gun discharges.

One of those incidents happened near Grand Marais when a moose hunter accidentally fired his rifle just before an officer started checking licenses.

Russ Isola is a Minnesota DNR trained gun safety instructor.

He thinks all hunters should take a safety course that would reduce the dangers conservation officers and other hunters face in the field from improper gun handling.

“The hunter education program definitely corrects that!” says Isola.
He states it’s not young kids that are unsafe.

October 14th, 2008 | Category: deer, dnr, early season, firearm safety |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

With such a broad selection of knives and an endless list of different manufacturers it can be a hard task trying to find the suitable tactical knife that will serve your desired task. I know this because I went through it all years ago and back then there wasn’t as much variety. Lucky enough I have gained a good knowledge of the different types of tactical knives throughout the years. Let me explain.

First question you need to ask yourself.

What situation will you want the tactical knife for, urban, jungle, forest etc. Each knife can serve a different purpose. A machete for jungle, a strong blade for forest with teeth to cut branches and for urban combat a good tactical knife might be considered a multi-purpose knife as with these you have screw driver, pliers etc.

October 8th, 2008 | Category: equipment |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Hunters can be well knowledgeable of many deer hunting tactics, but those who don’t consider it important to understand the role of scents in whitetail deer hunting, are doomed to season after season of frustration. This is an area that will make or break a hunter’s season!

Whitetail deer hunting in reality is more of a science than it is a sport. We aren’t throwing or hitting a ball around or displaying our marksmanship at paper targets, we are dealing with living animals who want to stay alive. And they’re equipped with well-tuned senses and skills to help them avoid predators, natural or human. The whitetail deer’s sense of smell is one of their greatest assets to enable them to detect the presence of potential predators. Hunters should understand the whitetail deer’s sense of smell well before its time to enter the woods. Hunters, therefore, need a thorough understanding of scents in whitetail deer hunting.

October 8th, 2008 | Category: deer, scent |  Email This Post | Leave a comment